What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashland has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Wade has the most people working from home (10.1%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ashland	Wade
People
Population	1,080Highest	244Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.7% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	53.4±9.1Lowest 19% above ME	53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME
	Wade and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.4%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Wade and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	32.2%±8Lowest ME: 22.4%	34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4%
	Wade and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	33.2%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%	0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Ashland and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$46,838±$15kHighest 37% below ME	$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME
	Ashland and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME	$157,100±$109kHighest 47% below ME
	Wade and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,511Lowest 50% below ME	$1,655Highest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	25.7%±27.5Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Ashland and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	23.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	78.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME	1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 14% below ME	34 minHighest 37% above ME
Work from home	4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	10.1%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Wade and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.